3: APPLICATIONS, REASONS FOR APPLYING AND PRIOR CIRCUMSTANCES
Characteristics of applicants
3.1 Of the 56,428 applications for assistance in 2009-10, 34,954 (62%) were single people, of whom around 23,000 were men and 12,000 were women. Around 17,500 applications (31% of applications) were from households with children, most of whom were single parent households (24% of all applications). Of the 13,550 applications by single parents, 9,741 (72%) were by female applicants.
Chart 5: Number of applications in 2009-10 by household type
3.2 In 93.3% of applications in 2009-10, the main applicant was recorded as White, 1.2% were recorded as Black, Black Scottish or Black British, 1.3% were recorded as Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British and 2.5% as in other ethnic groups. An ethnic group was not recorded for 1.7% of all applicants. Also, in 2009-10, 443 applicants described themselves as a gypsy/ traveller. However, it is important to note that no response was given to this question for 629 applicants in 2009-10, so the number of gypsy/ travellers applying for assistance may be understated slightly.
Chart 6: Number of applications in 2008-09 by ethnic group of main applicant
3.3 In 2009-10, 1,730 homeless applicants had a household member who had previously been in the armed forces. Of these, 517 had been in the armed forces less than 5 years ago and 1,213 more than 5 years ago. In the same period, 2,459 applicants aged under 25 had a household member who had been formerly looked after by the local authority. (Chart 7.) It should be noted that, for 2,361 applications, the response to the question asking about service in the armed forces was 'not known/ refused'; and, for 1,526 applications, this same response was given to the question asking if a member of the applicant household had been previously looked after by the local authority.
Chart 7: Number of applications formerly in the armed forces and number of applicants formerly looked after by the local authority in 2009-10: Scotland
Prior circumstances of applicants
3.4 Of the 56,428 applications for assistance in 2009-10 for which information was provided, 26,692 (47%) had been living with friends and relatives, while 20,069 (36%) had been living in their own accommodation ( i.e. which they either rented or owned). ( Table 3).
Chart 8: Prior housing circumstances of applicants 2008-09 and 2009-10
Reasons for homelessness
3.5 Relationship breakdown is the main cause of homelessness applications. This is reflected in the high numbers of applicants who cite a dispute within the household (29% of all applications in 2009-10) or being asked to leave (26% of 2009-10 applications). ( Table 4). Rent arrears or mortgage default account for around 5% of all homelessness applications in 2009-10, while 5% of applications are from those leaving prison/ hospital/ care or some other institution.
Chart 9: Main reason for applying for assistance: All applications: Scotland: 2009-10
3.6 In each application, reasons why the accommodation was not maintained may be selected (as many as are applicable for each application). This question was completed for 76% of applications in 2009-10. For 37% of applications where this question was completed, a reason which was 'not to do with the applicant household' was given (for example, landlord selling the property, fire, circumstances of other persons sharing the property, harassment by others, etc).
Chart 10: Reason(s) for failing to maintain accommodation: Scotland: 2009-10
Financial and economic reasons for homelessness applications
3.6 There was a 25% reduction between 2008-09 and 2009-10 in the number presenting as homeless because of rent arrears to a local authority, a reduction (of 28%) in the number presenting as homeless because of rent arrears to a housing association, an increase (of 8%) in the number presenting as homeless because of rent arrears to a private landlord and an increase (of 10%) in those presenting as homeless because of mortgage default. ( Table 5a) The number presenting as homeless because of the forced division and sale of the matrimonial home dropped substantially from 725 in 2007-08 to 374 in 2008-09 and then to 342 in 2009-10.
3.7 In 2009-10, there were 3,040 applications (5% of applications) which cited rent arrears or mortgage default as the main reason for the application. In all, 5,598 applications stated that financial difficulties/ debt/ unemployment were a contributory factor ( table 5d), though it should be noted that the question which asks contributory reasons for the application was only completed for 76% of applications in 2009-10. The number of applications which gave financial difficulties as a contributing factor slightly increased (by 1%) since 2008-09.
Applicants on waiting lists
3.8 In 2009-10, 36% of homelessness applications were from households on the council's waiting list. This proportion varied widely between councils from 65% in Scottish Borders and 58% in Highland to 10% in South Ayrshire and 17% in North Ayrshire. (Chart 11.) This question was asked for the first time in 2007-08, and the response was 'Unknown/ Refused' for 1,236 6 of the 56,428 cases in 2009-10.
Chart 11: Percentage of applications in 2009-10 from households on the council's waiting list
Rough sleeping
3.9 In 2009-10, 4% of applicants (2,518 in total or 210 per month) slept rough the night before applying for assistance. This is a drop compared to a total of 3,075 (or 256 per month) in 2008-09, when 5% of applicants slept rough the night before the application. The incidence of rough sleeping among homeless applicants was highest in Edinburgh (468 cases or 10% of applications) and East Lothian (103 cases or 9% of applications) while fewer than 1% of applicants were recorded as sleeping rough the night before application in North Lanarkshire and Midlothian 7. (Chart 12a.)
3.10 The number of homeless applicants sleeping rough the night before applying is typically lowest in December each year 8, though it should be noted this follows the trend of all applications which are also lowest in December each year (Chart 12b).
Chart 12a: Percentage of homeless applicants in 2009-10 who slept rough the night before applying for assistance
Chart 12b: Number of homeless applicants who slept rough the night before applying and the overall number of applications per month: Scotland: 2007-08 to 2009-10
Repeat Homelessness
3.11 The percentage of homeless assessments identified as repeat cases ( i.e. where a previous application from the household had been closed less than 12 months before the current assessment 9) has fallen from 9.8% in 2002-03 to 6.1% in 2009-10. (Chart 13a.) Comparing rates of repeat homelessness by household type, 10.1% of applications by single males were repeats, 6.0% of applications by single females were repeats, while single parents and couples with or without children had lower rates of repeat homelessness
3.12 The rate of repeat homelessness varies by local authority area, as shown by Chart 13b. In two local authorities - Inverclyde and North Ayrshire - more than 10% of all homeless assessments in 2009-10 were for applicants who were previously assessed as homeless and whose previous case ended less than 12 months prior to this most recent assessment.
Chart 13a: Scotland: Percentage of repeat homelessness
Chart 13b: Repeat homelessness assessments as a percentage of all assessments by local authority area: 2009-10
